Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1913.djvu/300

 178 THE BRITISH EMPIRE: — UGANDA PROTECTORATE

The Uganda Protectorate.

The territories now comprised within this Protectorate came under British influence in 1890, and a portion of them was for a time administered by the Imperial British East African Company. In 1894 a British Protectorate was declared over the kingdom of Uganda and some of the adjoining territories. The present limits are as follows: — On the north, the 5th degree of north lat. ; on the east, a line drawn down the middle of Lake Rudolf, and along the north boundary of the East Africa Protectorate and the N.E. shores of Lake Victoria ; on the south, by the German frontier and by the 1st degree of south lat. ; and on the west, by the eastern boundary of the Belgian Congo. Within these boundaries lie part of the Victoria Nyanza ^ part of Lake Albert Edward, nearly all Lake Albert, the whole of Lake Kioga, half of Lake Rudolf, and the course of the Mle from its exit from Lake Victoria to Lado or Gondokoro, where the Egyptian Sudan commences. Total area 117,681 square miles. For administrative purposes it is divided into 5 provinces: (1) the Eastern Province, comprising the districts of Karamojo, Busoga, Bukedi, Lobor, Teso and Lango ; (2) the Rudolf Province, com- prising the districts of Turkwel, Turkana, and Dabossa (this province is at present unadministered) ; (3) the Northern Province, comprising the districts of Nimule, Bunyoro, Gulu, Chua, and Gondokoro ; (4) the Western Province, comprising the districts Toro and Ankole ; and (5) the Kingdom of Buganda with islands. Owing to sleeping sickness the islands of Lake Victoria have been entirely depopulated, and the inhabitants, numbering about 20,000, settled on the mainland in fly- free districts. Most of the districts and the whole of the Kingdom of Buganda are more or less directly under British administration ; but the native kings or chiefs, whose rights are in most cases regulated by treaties, are encouraged to conduct the government of their own subjects. The province of Buganda is recognised as a native kingdom under a "Kabaka," with the title of "His Highness." The present Kabaka, H.H. Daudi Chua, grandson of the celebrated Mutesa, is a minor, and under a regenc}'' of three native chiefs. He is assisted in the government by a Lukiko, or native assembly. In the Kingdom of Buganda, and in Ankole and Toro, purely native matters are dealt with by the Lukiko, but in serious cases there is an appeal to higher courts ; an abridgment of the Indian Penal Code is being prepared. For Europeans and non-natives justice is administered by his Majesty's courts. The principal British representative is the Governor, who makes Ordinances for the administration of justice, the raising of revenue, and other purposes. There are local and special courts of justice, and a High Court with civil and criminal jurisdiction. The appeal court consists of the judges of the courts for Zanzibar, Uganda, and the East Africa Protectorate. In 1911, there were 831 criminal cases tried ; 37 of which were cases of serious crime. There is a battalion of the King's African Rifles, 850 rank and file, and 1,026 armed constabulary, under a British Commissioner of Police and British officers. There is also a volunteer reserve of 101 efficient Europeans.

The total population of Uganda (year ending March 31, 1911) is given as 2,843,325, distributed as follows : Natives, 2,840,469; Asiatics, 2,216; Europeans, 640 (including 15f) females) Of the Europeans, the majority (342 males and 124 females) are British ; the French come second in order. Of the white population 203 are Government servants. Among the natives 650,000 (rapidly diminishing in number) belong to the intelligent, civilised Baganda, a race converted to Christianity by British and French missionaries, the Church Missionary Society having 1,124 church

1 Nyanza= Uganda equivalent for lake.